Design for an Embroidered or Woven Fabric of the "Fabrique de St. Ruf," Unfinished
1805–1815
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1914-21-80
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This unfinished drawing, created by the renowned Fabrique de Saint Ruf Lyon, France, between 1805 and 1815, served as a design template for embroidered or woven fabrics. Lyon, the epicenter of Europe's silk industry during the Napoleonic era, was famed for its intricate textile production, which supplied luxury goods to courts, fashion houses, and global markets. Workshops like Saint Ruf specialized in innovative patterns that blended classical motifs with emerging Empire-style elegance, reflecting France's cultural dominance in decorative arts. As a classified drawing in the Smithsonian Amer...